Warsaw-based MFRMGR set to renovate Second World War watchtower into water sports hub

Rising out of the waters of Puck Bay, off the northern coast of Poland, are a number of dilapidated buildings that were once part of a German experimental torpedo plant (TWP) operating during the Second World War. Warsaw-based architectural firm MFRMGR has undertaken the remodelling project of one of the watchtowers of the defunct research station, with the intention of converting it into a modern hub for water sports aficionados as well as researchers.

The structure is situated at a distance of about 2 km(1.24 miles) off the Polish coast, in the southern Baltic Sea, between the two towns of Jurata and Jastarnia. Except for the occasional divers and film-makers, who choose the site mainly because of its incredibly remote location, the observation tower remains unused and neglected. Over the years, the harsh weather conditions have led to the degradation of the building, which is now well on its way to ruin. Talking about the position of the site, the team said:

It is somehow mystic and inaccessible, arising the interest of sunbathers, sailors and adventure-seekers.

The watchtower will likely be revamped into a multi-functional center for conducting research as well as various water sports. The team plans to add a third floor to the two-storey structure, while keeping the original design unchanged . The additional floor will be lowered onto the existing observation deck, in a somewhat Tetris-like pattern. The upper-level extension will possess the clinker brickwork similar to the main building. In this technique, the bricks are heated to a very high temperature, in order to make them more durable and water resistant.

Many of the original windows will be filled up and new windows will be created. The uppermost floor will house a bathroom, a toilet and the bedroom, consisting of bunk beds for eight people. A fully-equipped sauna and a storage room will make up the first floor. The sundeck, that can be accessed via a spiral staircase, will provide spectacular views of the seascape. The ground floor will have the kitchen, a comfy living room and a toilet. A raised decked platform, lining the building on all sides, will act as a breakwater to protect the structure from the damaging effects of high waves and severe weather conditions. It will also provide the inhabitants a miniature harbor of sorts, to moor their boats.

The firm has revealed that the lookout station will run on the energy harnessed by wind turbines and solar panels. The building will also be provided with a backup power source, in the form of a petrol generator. It will possess in-built sewage facility as well as food storage units. Furthermore, the site will include three small floating islands that will be used for the cultivation of vegetables and herbs and the collection of rainwater. A bird sanctuary will also be present in the area.

The architects, working on the project, said:

The idea behind the form of the facility is to repeat an inverted body of the existing facility… This manner of shaping the building body allows adapting it to the new function without diminishing its historic nature.

Due to it remote location, the watchtower can be reached by boats during the summer and via hovercrafts in the winter season when the water of the bay freezes. The team of architects said:

Everyone staying there can feel as though they were the SPECTRE chief, Ernst Blofeld.